Package



J. W. LITTLE May 21, 1940.

PACKAGE Filed July 13, 1938 Patented May 21, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

PACKAGE Application July 13, 1938, Serial No. 218,929

3 Claims.

This invention relates to packages and the object is to provide a wrapped package which will afford protection for the contents from deterioration due to access of air or moisture thereto and yet will be of attractive outward appearance and may be easily opened to dispense the contents.

My invention will be well understood by reference to the following description of the illustrative embodiment thereof shown by way of example in the accompanying drawing, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective of a complete package;

Fig. 2 is a plan of an inner wrapping sheet as viewed from what in use is the inner face thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan of an outer wrapping sheet;

Fig. 4 shows the inner wrapping applied;

Fig. 5 illustrates the beginning of the wrapping operation utilizing the outer wrapping; and

Fig. 6 illustrates the package with the wrapping partly torn away to expose the contents.

In Fig. 1 I show a chewing gum package having a wrapping 8 which encircles the same and has its end portions folded over in the form of superposed fiaps at I0 in the customary manner, the terminal overlying portion of the wrapper being provided with a slightly projecting tab I2 designed to be grasped by the fingers to initiate a tear, illustrated in Fig. 6, which will remove a zone of the wrapping which lies between the ends of the package to expose the enclosed commodity, such as the individually wrapped sticks of gum I4, and leave the folded end portions in position as cap-like members which may be readily stripped off.

Packages as described in the preceding paragraph, utilizing a single wrapping sheet of a length to encircle the commodity and lap on itself, are well known but their use is limited since either the package is not effectively sealed to resist deterioration of the contents or the means necessary for effective sealing adversely affect its appearance and consequently its salability. Thus we might suppose the wrapper 8 to be of transparent cellulose, commonly known as Cellophane, printed in reverse on the back or inner side thereof in simulation of the enclosed paper wrapper. Such a wrapper might be sealed in a sense by a suitable heat-sensitive adhesive applied at the longitudinal joint and at the interfolded ends, but such sealing would be effective to hold the wrapper in position but would not be air-tight. Reliably to obtain an air-tight package some sealing medium should be used, paraffin wax being suitable, which will flow to fill the spaces between the overlying portions of the wrapping, and the adhesive then might appear at the exterior at the joints or spread to adjacent parts thereof and spoil its appearance.

In accordance with my invention I provide an inner wrapping providing an air-tight enclosure and an outer wrapper providing an attractive external covering, the two being so related that they may be torn off the commodity by a substantially single continuous operation.

In Fig. 2 I illustrate an inner wrapper sheet I6 of suitable impervious material, as, for example, metal foil, and having a main portion of a size to encircle the commodity and fold over the ends and having also a narrow terminal flap I8 of no greater width than the length of the commodity for purposes which will be decribed. Margins of the body portion of this wrapping sheet may carry on its outer face a suitable flowing adhesive 20, as paraflin wax, while the inner face of the flap I8 may be provided with a stripe 22 of suitable heat-sensitive adhesive. The commodity is placed on the nearer face of the wrapping sheet I6, viewing Fig. 2, and wrapped in the usual manner, the lowermost margin, as shown in Fig. 2, being the inner end of the encircling wrapper. The adhesive 20 is caused to seal the longitudinal joint and the interfolded ends, penetrating all the joints of 0 the enclosure to form a completely sealed covering, as shown in Fig. 4, from which projects the flap I8.

The outer wrapping sheet 8 in Fig. 3 of suitable attractive character herein has its inner terminal portion attached to the flap I8, preferably by inserting it beneath the same, as indicated in Fig. 5, the flap I8 then being folded down as indicated by the arrow at the right and secured to the outer face of the wrapper 8 by the adhesive 22. The outer wrapping is then folded about the commodity as indicated by the arrow at the left in Fig. 5 and secured by suitable adhesive, for example, at the folded-over ends I0. The preferable arrangement is such 5 that the flap I8, interleaved with the turns of the outer wrapper, underlies the outermost terminal portion thereof with its distal edge substantially coinciding with the terminal edge of the outer wrapping at the tab I2. 50

When the projecting tab I2 is seized, the central portions of both wrappers may be torn away as a single operation to free the contents. Such tearing operation is shown partly effected in Fig. 6. The torn edges appear as rough lines in that figure. 'Ihe tears start at the ends of the tab 12 and, particularly if the grain of the paper extends circumferentially of the package as would normally be the case, are propagated sufiiciently straight to sever the wrapping into three parts.

It will be noted that the commodity is received within a completely sealed protecting enclosure provided by the inner wrapper it, yet has an attractive covering formed by the outer Wrapper 8 which completely covers the inner wrapper IS. The sealing of the inner wrapper is eifected without possibility of damage to the external wrapper, and any irregularity in appearance arising from the sealing operation is effectually concealed by the outer wrapper.

I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive; reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A package comprising a commodity, an inner wrapping sheet applied about the same in en circling relation to form an overlapping joint along a side of the commodity and having end portions infolded as superposed flaps, sealing material closing said joint and the joints of the end flaps, an outer wrapping sheet similarly applied about the commodity and the inner wrapper completely to enclose the same, the inner terminal portion of the outer sheet being operatively associated with the outer terminal portion of the inner sheet and having an exterior terminal portion exposed for traction thereon to initiate tearing away of a central zone of the wrappings between the ends of the package.

2. A package comprising a commodity, an inner wrapping sheet applied about the same in encircling relation to form an overlapping joint along a side of the commodity and having end portions infolded as superposed flaps, sealing material closing said joint and the joints of the end flaps, the sheet having a terminal flap extending beyond the overlapping joint aforesaid, an outer wrapping sheet similarly applied about the commodity and the inner wrapper completely to enclose the same, the inner terminal portion of the outer sheet being secured to said flap and having an exterior terminal portion exposed for traction thereon to initiate tearing away of a central zone of the wrappings between the ends of the package.

3. A package comprising a commodity, an inner wrapping sheet applied about the same in encircling relation to form an overlapping joint along a side of the commodity and having end portions infolded as superposed flaps, sealing material closing said joint and the joints of the end flaps, the sheet having a terminal flap extending beyond the joint aforesaid, an outer wrapping sheet similarly applied about the commodity and the, sealed inner wrapper formed as defined from the inner sheet completely to enclose the same, the exterior terminal portion of the outer sheet and said flap being disposed in substantial superposition at the outside of the package and presenting a terminal portion exposed for traction thereof to initiate tearing away of a portion of the Wrappings between the ends of the package.

JOHN W. LITTLE. 

